


printing in the infernal method

by LightningRidgeBlackOpal



Series: Proverbs [3]
Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Interlude, M/M, Makes more sense if you've read the other two, Proverbs 'Verse, References to Addiction, press
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 01:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21066848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightningRidgeBlackOpal/pseuds/LightningRidgeBlackOpal
Summary: Guitarist’s Collapse On Stage Shocks Fans - Julian Deroux for Loudwire.comReluctantBand Member Collapses Mid-Show - Drake O’Day for etonlineExhaustion, Stress Cited As Cause For Madej’s Collapse - Kerrang!Source Claims Drugs To Blame For Hetero Reluctant Guitarist… - Jill Grand for Q Magazine





	printing in the infernal method

**Author's Note:**

> So I've wanted to expand the Proverbs Universe a bit and I came up with this idea for a side story that takes place during Hetero Reluctant's press tour immediately following 'been carrying a pack of wolves' so I wrote this!
> 
> Thanks to Kaya4114, as always, for being a fabulous beta, collaborator, and friend.

**printing in the infernal method**

_ July 19th, 2019 _

**Guitarist’s Collapse On Stage Shocks Fans **\- Julian Deroux for Loudwire.com

** _Reluctant_ ** ** Band Member Collapses Mid-Show** \- Drake O’Day for etonline

**Exhaustion, Stress Cited As Cause For Madej’s Collapse **\- Kerrang!

**Source Claims Drugs To Blame For Hetero Reluctant Guitarist…** \- Jill Grand for Q Magazine

Jackson shuts his laptop sudden enough that the noise echoes in his office. “What fucking source?” he asks out loud to the empty room. All he could get was ‘No comment,’ no matter which avenue he tried. No one who had ever met the boys of Hetero Reluctant had anything to say for the last three weeks. Leave it to Jill to either falsify a story or find the one stone he’d left unturned. He swallows the cold dregs of this afternoon’s coffee and grimaces at the empty mug. “Whatever,” he says, packing up for the night and locking his office behind him. He’ll be interviewing them in the morning. Three of them, anyway. Madej’s fallen off the map ever since they finished their California tour and the rest of the band are tight lipped and hard to get ahold of.

He’s just lucky that _ Bassline _ managed to earn some good will with their preemptive press brief on the band in January. So far the band -- at least, their manager -- has turned down every interview in the wake of what Jackson has been referring to as ‘The Event,’ but they gave in when the magazine called; they’ve built a rapport already, built a relationship. He’s looking forward to interviewing them again, and if all goes well he’ll be able to break the real story. “Exhaustion, drugs, stress, drugs, health concerns…” at this point he’s mumbling to himself unashamed through the halls and down the stairs and out to his car. All the possibilities whirling around him.

***

“Hello out there!” he says into the mic. “We are joined today, once again, by one of the most exciting bands to hit the scene in years, Hetero Reluctant! I’m Jackson Putnam, and in just a few moments we will have the exclusive -- the first interview after their first tour! Are you excited? But first, some ads to keep the lights on.”

The red light goes off and he sighs heavily. Today was a four-aspirin-morning, and by now there’s a migraine knocking on the walls of his mind. He saw them earlier, sitting in the green room and sipping absently on coffee. They looked solemn. Their manager -- Michael? Michie? Mika, that’s it -- was holding court, seeming to brief them. None of them seemed pleased to be there, but Jackson chose not to take it personally. ‘We have a rapport!’ he reminds himself. Besides, he’s a professional. He’s made it through three separate interviews with Marilyn Manson, for God’s sake. He can handle this. The producer taps on the window, and the door opens to let the three boys in. Countdown, deep breaths, show time. Red light comes on.

“Welcome back to _Bassline’s_ Audio Beat, an online-exclusive radio show for the popular underground music magazine _ Bassline _. I’m Jackson Putnam, and this afternoon I am joined by three of the four members of California’s own Hetero Reluctant! Why don’t you boys say hello and introduce yourselves?”

“I’m Ryan, the singer,” Bergara says. His dark flop of a mohawk hangs in his eyes as he leans forward. Lim is next, willowy and tall and grinning, with his arm around Ilnickyj’s shoulders. “I’m Steven,” he says, “I play bass.”

“And I’m Andrew, the other one!” Ilnyckyj jokes.

They share a laugh and then Jackson clears his throat. “So, I notice you’re one man short. How is Shane doing?” Bergara flinches, just barely, but schools himself neutral again in an instant.

“He’s good,” he says, “still resting, taking a bit of time off…”

Jackson smiles. He hopes it’s in a way which seems genuine and concerned. “Now I understand you’ve been tight-lipped about all of that, but our listeners would love to know… he’s not leaving the band, right? Nothing to worry about?”

“Right,” Ilnyckyj says. “No breakups, no replacement, no worries. Shane just put himself under a lot of pressure recording and the tour was a bit much so he’s taking some time off while we handle all the press and get ready for the future.”

“Speaking of, what _ is _ in the future for Hetero Reluctant?” Jackson asks. Switch the topic, break down walls, circle back around later. Keep them off the defensive. Get Bergara talking again -- he’s the one the fans like most, they think he’s funny, get him to talk. “More touring, now that _ ergo propter hoc _ is a runaway hit? Back to the studio?”

Lim looks over at Ilnyckyj. Ilnyckyj looks back. The two of them look at Bergara. He shrugs. “Yeah,” he says, “all of it I guess. I think we head out on tour again in… September? I think, maybe late August…”

“Cross country!” Lim adds in the pause. That’s good, good to know, good for fans. This interview will get lots of hits, but it will get more if he can get them to just say anything about what happened to Madej.

“Yeah, yeah. Not a headliner, though. We’re touring with a few other bands. Peppermint Raincoat, who I actually saw open for Earth a while ago… Occult Blood I think, who else…”

“Moving Freight,” Lim says.

“Moving Freight, that’s it. We’re looking forward to it. It’s certainly gonna be different than the six city run we did in Cali.”

“And after that? Planning your sophomore effort at all? Any ideas you can share?” Jackson asks. Here it is; an in. Madej was the main lyricist. Can Bergara play guitar? Can they do anything until he gets back?

The boys laugh. “It’s a bit early for that,” Ilnyckyj says. “We’re trying to take it one step at a time and not get ahead of ourselves,” Lim adds.

“I am looking forward to writing more music, though,” Bergara says. Jackson grins. “I had such a good time writing _ ergo _ that I’ve been excited to do some more. I think if… when we get there, I think the fans might be surprised. Who can say, but we may end up going in a totally different direction than _ ergo _.”

“I understand that Shane wrote a lot of the lyrics for the first album. Any chance we’ll hear some stuff from Andrew or Steven? Or more of Ryan’s hits like _ Hetero Reluctant _ and _ Fatal Verdict _?”

“I don’t think I’m much of a poet,” Lim says. “Maybe if we record a four minute bass solo and call it a song I’ll get a writing credit but…” they laugh, Jackson joins them.

“So no Phil Collins style solo career for Andrew Ilnyckyj?” Jackson asks and they boys laugh again.

“Probably not,” Ilnyckyj answers. In his ear, the producer demands an ad break.

“Okay folks, stay tuned because this interview isn’t over yet. We will be right back after these messages.” Red light off.

The three boys all sag in their chairs, heave a collective sigh. They seem stressed. This might be the time to strike.

"So, what have you all been up to since the California tour ended?" Jackson asks to fill up time.

Bergara shrugs. "Not much to be honest. After we dropped off Shane we've mostly been trying to relax and just… watching as the album blew up. Kind of in shock."

Jackson's ears are ringing. No one seems to have noticed, but he's a damn journalist. He hears everything. _ After we dropped off Shane _. Where? Bergara slipped up but not quite enough.

"I bet it's been hard to get used to. Fame all of a sudden," he says and they nod.

"Definitely harder for some of us to adapt for sure," Bergara says. He looks tired. The darkness under his eyes isn't all from eyeliner, his bright smile is hidden behind a small frown.

'Some of us meaning Shane,' Jackson guesses. A story is starting to emerge and it's one he's seen before. Ten seconds.

"Who found it difficult?" Jackson asks. Three grim faces look back. No one answers. Red light.

"Welcome back," Jackson says, leaning back toward the mic. "We were chatting in the break and it seems like even rockstars need a break too, sometimes."

"Definitely," Lim says. "It's a lot of work. We've enjoyed the time off."

"That rockstar lifestyle taking a toll already?" Jackson asks. There's a pause.

"I guess so," Bergara answers quietly. He seems shy all of a sudden. Bring it back.

"Well I'm sure if anyone can get through it, it'll be you guys. Now, if you could tour with any band who would it be?"

"Rush," Ilnyckyj says quickly. Jackson 'ooh's appropriately. "They have great drum tracks."

"Ratatat," Lim answers. "Just guitars, I think they could use a bit of bass."

"Zeppelin, obviously," Bergara says, gesturing down at his ripped up Zeppelin tour shirt. '75 maybe, if Jackson remembers the artwork right. "_Catch the wind, see us spin, sail away leave today, way up high in the sky, woah. But the wind won't blow, you really shouldn't go, only goes to show…_" he sings. Oh, the ratings are gonna be great.

"Who do you think Shane would want to tour with?" Jackson asks. If he could see himself he'd recognize the tell-tale glint in his eye. Bergara looks down.

"Zeppelin, probably. This is actually his shirt I'm wearing."

He's evading. Catch him off guard.

"I almost thought you'd say 'no one.' It didn't really seem like Shane was enjoying that little tour. And now it sounds like you're continuing on without him. You said a bit ago that you dropped him off… where? Home?" No response. "I know all your fans out there are worried…" No response.

He's got the story now. Maybe not every detail, but he can fill in the blanks. Jill Grand was probably closer to the truth than she even knew.

Time's up, red light off.

***

Jackson is sitting at his desk, finishing up his draft of a story for the mag. He gets a call; rare though it is, occasionally the front desk will actually transfer people back. He answers the phone and is interrupted before he can even speak.

"Mr. Putnam?" a man's voice questions. He grunts an affirmative. "So nice to speak with you. I represent the band Hetero Reluctant, and more specifically a Mr. Madej." In Jackson's mind, alarm bells go off. This is the voice of a good lawyer. Smooth and even. "Now, I listened to the interview you did with them a couple days ago and I wanted to make a request." Jackson eyes the article he's just about finished with, and feels his gut sinking. "Your line of questioning was excellent. I'm sure you're happy in your profession, which is a real loss for me. You could have made a great lawyer, son. In any case. We would like to communicate and do our best to insure that you don't make any leaps of logic or fill in any blanks in the meantime with regards to Mr. Madej's whereabouts. It's very easy to get the wrong impression during a short conversation, would you agree?"

"Yes," he answers.

"Well we just want to make sure that any future press run about the band avoids mistaking perception for fact. Mr. Madej is taking a brief break in order to be sure that he is in tip top shape for his return to Hetero Reluctant. That is the truth, and I certainly hope that any articles run reflect that truth. Does that seem fair?"

"Yes," he answers. His eyes are stuck still on his headline.

"Excellent. I, as well as the band, appreciate your journalistic talents and look forward to working with _ Bassline _ in the future. Thank you so much for your time."

"Sir?" Jackson questions. There is a pause.

"Yes?"

"Off the record. If my assumptions are correct… and Shane ever decides to speak to the press about that night in Santa Monica… I would truly appreciate if he could be directed my way. I'm on Hetero Reluctant's side, and it would mean a lot." His voice shakes, just barely, as he speaks.

"I will be sure to pass that message on. Thank you, Mr. Putnam." He hangs up, and he looks straight through his monitor for a while. **Shane Madej in Rehab, A Shining Example for Young Addicts in Recovery**.

He saves the article, and closes it. He hesitates to delete it. His fingers shake. He feels a familiar, phantom itch under his skin but he buries it. He replaces it with hope, a glimmering shroud of hope that these boys can make it. He hopes that the band is successful, and that they are happy. Mostly, he hopes that Shane is happy, wherever he is.

He deletes the article, and heads home for the night.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're reading this I love you.
> 
> Title is the (sub) title of an album by Earth; Hex, or Printing In The Infernal Method
> 
> Ryan sings the chorus of 'What Is And What Should Never Be' by Led Zeppelin during the interview


End file.
